About Us

History of Cockle Legal Briefs

Cockle Legal Briefs was founded in Omaha, Nebraska in 1923 by Albert and Eda Cockle. At that time, their business was commercial printing. They turned to printing legal briefs when an attorney asked them to print a brief he was filing with the Nebraska Supreme Court. Albert and Eda, who both had law degrees, realized this was an opportunity to apply their legal education to the printing business. They became experts in the correct preparation of briefs, and attorneys increasingly began to look to them for advice. This expertise, some 90 years later, differentiates Cockle from its competitors.

In 1930, Eda founded The Cockle Bur, a promotional pamphlet filled with quotes, sayings, and poems, which was mailed monthly to Cockle customers. Some of the best entries have been compiled and published in a book entitled Simple Truths.

When George — Eda and Albert’s son — took over the business in 1965, he decided to make law briefs the company’s sole specialty. He visited every town in Nebraska to listen to attorneys and learn more about their needs. As a result, Cockle became Nebraska’s largest producer of legal briefs.

In the early 1990s, George retired at the age of 75 and turned the business over to his children, Andy and Trish. Cockle has since grown to become the largest producer of U.S. Supreme Court briefs in the country, with a rapidly expanding clientele of federal circuit court filers.

What Clients Say

The oral argument in Haeger v. Goodyear went well! I want to thank you and your staff for the wonderful support and your very kind indulgence. I hope we have the opportunity to work with you and your office in the future.
Please extend my appreciation to your staff.
Meeling Tan
Jennings, Strouss & Salmon, PLC

Meeling Tan

I don’t know whether you and your team are aware that, indeed, the U.S. Supreme Court granted our petition and remanded the case for further consideration.
I forgot to timely express my appreciation. Belatedly, I want to reach out and thank your team members for helping us make this very important achievement. Yes, “Better Briefs Win.”

Curtis L. Kennedy

I have used Cockle for dozens and dozens of briefs and they have done a superb job every time. They are experts on the Supreme Court’s rules and ensure that everything is in compliance with them. They are amazingly fast and always truly a pleasure to work with.

Erwin ChemerinskyDean and Distinguished Professor of LawUniversity of California, Irvine, School of Law

I would like to express my thanks to Cockle Legal Briefs and personally to Shari, Andy, and to all that took part in providing me their personal and professional help. This petition has been a decade-and-a-half in the making. I simply could not have managed the filing without Cockle.

Joseph RaimondoPro Se Petitioner

One thing is that they’re cheaper. But the second one is, they’ve really got the technology down.” Professor Schnapper says that the third benefit of using Omaha-based Cockle is the company’s proofreading service: “The work is really good. They go over the material with a fine-tooth comb and catch a lot of things.

Eric SchnapperProfessorUniversity of Washington Law School

When we have a question about Supreme Court practices, we know we can call Cockle and get the right answer. We know we can trust their experience in dealing with the Court, its rules and personnel. The team at Cockle has repeatedly come through for us, including under tight deadlines. Thank you Cockle!

Mike Persoon

My colleagues and I have been working with Cockle Printing for over twenty-five years. They have produced dozens of legal briefs for us, always with such efficiency and cordiality that a high-pressure task becomes a pleasure. I would not dream of submitting a brief to the Supreme Court without having it vetted by Cockle. Even an attorney with extensive Supreme Court experience can overlook some nuance of the Supreme Court’s rules or practice; Cockle’s intimate familiarity with both written a…

Cathy CrossonAttorney at Law

Many thanks to everyone who assisted in the filing of my Extraordinary Writ of Mandamus to the U.S. Supreme Court – a special thanks to Matt, who gave extra effort to assure that my brief was accurate! As a pro se litigant, there is stress going it alone. Preparing my brief for the Court was the one phase where I did not feel alone, thanks to you.

Nina Eva Hajda, pro se

We had a variety of contacts with members of Cockle Legal Briefs that carried common themes: We were treated as valued customers and were given straightforward and honest information at every step of the way. Thanks for the respectful service and for ensuring the brief was timely filed.

Steve DurhamOffice of the Jefferson County Attorney (Kentucky)

Having them out there is such a relief because I know when I turn a brief over to them, it’s going to be right, it’s going to look good, and it’s going to be done on time.

Judy StoeserParalegalMountain States Legal Foundation

We are the industry leader in Supreme Court and legal brief printing services.